| Common
Myths About Hearing Disorders |
| |
| If
I had a hearing loss, I certainly would know about it. |
| Not
necessarily. Often a hearing loss develops slowly and subtly.
Our own built-in defenses may make it difficult for us to determine
whether we have a hearing loss or not. Hearing loss is usually
gradual in onset. Many times we adjust and get used to it as
it is happening to us. A simple hearing test would determine
if a hearing loss exists. |
| |
| Everyone
mumbles when they talk to me. |
| Some
people do mumble. But if you think ALL people mumble then it's
time to accept it is your hearing and not everyone else's mumbling. |
| |
| Hearing
aids will restore my hearing to normal. |
| Hearing
aids are designed to aid a person's hearing that they still
have intact. Hearing aids cannot restore hearing nor can they
cure your hearing problem. They can help you get the most out
of what you have left and are only part of hearing rehabilitation.
Hearing aids may need to be supplemented by auditory training. |
| |
| Hearing
aids totally eliminate distracting background noise. |
| Understanding,
especially in a noisy environment, will vary depending upon
each individual's hearing loss and the hearing instrument they
are wearing. Overall benefit may depend on proper fit, frequency
of use, auditory rehabilitation, the severity of the loss, and
the accuracy of the patient evaluation. |
| |
| When
someone is hearing impaired, that just means that sounds aren't
loud enough. |
| That's
just part of it. Perhaps that person may have trouble hearing
in crowds or in group conversations. Perhaps they hear but don't
always understand what is being said. Words may seem to be mumbled
or words just run together. These are but a few symptoms. |
| |
| Hearing
aids are large and ugly. Most people therefore don't want to
wear them. |
| Most
people aren't aware of the latest technological advances that
have been made in hearing aids. For many, "completely in
the canal" hearing aids are appropriate and are amazingly
small and discreet. They're so technically advanced that they
have made most old-fashioned hearing aids obsolete. |
| |
| Wearing
a hearing aid is a sign you're getting old. |
| Although
hearing loss is more common in older adults, many middle age
and younger people are affected as well. There are many determining
factors beyond just age. Statistics indicate that of the 28
million people with hearing loss in the United States there
are close to 8 million people in the United States between the
ages of 18 and 44 with hearing loss, and more than one million
are school age. Remember, a hearing loss is more noticeable
than a hearing aid. |
| |
| I've
heard that my type of hearing loss can't be helped. |
| Nearly
95% of individuals with hearing loss can be helped through amplification.
Now there is hope for those who have been told they couldn't
be helped. New technologies emerge every year, so you may now
be able to be helped when just a few years ago you were told
you couldn't. Examples include people with loss in one ear,
people with "nerve deafness" or "nerve damage",
or individuals with high frequency loss. |
| |
| If
I had a hearing loss, my physician would have told me. |
| This
may not be the case. Only 16% of physicians routinely screen
for hearing loss during a physical. And since most visits are
in the quiet of an office visit, it may be virtually impossible
for your doctor to recognize your difficulty with hearing. |
| |
| It
is too expensive to get a really good hearing aid. |
| The
very best digital hearing aids available are now even more affordable. |
